MKBHD Slate Review... Really?
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Nauga
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- Nov 9, 2017
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The really surprising thing is that Google actually thought releasing a model with a Celeron processor was a responsible thing to do. More than one somebody at that company had to have seen the same sort of lag and jank that's on display in Brownlee's video. That's even worse than MKB not admitting that he went for the Celeron model precisely because he was confident it was gonna stink and he could get a click-magnet bad review out of it.
In fairness, there are perfectly capable iPad and Samsung models at or below the price of the Pixel Slate Celeron model. It's not exactly outrageous to expect a ~$600 slate/tablet to, you know, actually be usable.
Google needs to sack Osterloh and bring in someone competent to run their hardware unit.
You know, I kind of wondered this too. Like, all his devices are the top spec'd versions (like his cameras). Why would he buy the base version of the Slate and not the top end version for himself.
Nauga
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IDK, the Celeron unit in to OP video looked pretty unusable to me. I mean yea, it technically works but the stutter and lag is worse than my venerable old Nexus 7 2013, and certainly not worthy of a $600 price.
WillysJeepMan
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- Mar 21, 2011
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I generally like and appreciate Marques Brownlee's videos... but he is a mainstream tech vlogger. He parrots the focus on specs and aesthetics that the mainstream voices and anything out of the mainstream is looked at as "weird". Just look at his review of the Pixelbook.
There is nothing about the build quality of the Pixelbook that should prevent him (or any reviewer) from saying that it is equal to or superior to an Apple product... and yet, when they praise the PB, they fall just short of saying that.
Bezel size is one of those things that hardware manufacturers (in partnership with reviewers) hype up as a differentiator. They have to do something to convince people to replace their existing hardware with newer hardware so they point to anything that can help that. They use Bezel size as a criticism.
When comparing something like the Slate or Pixelbook to the iPad Pro, they completely ignore all of the capabilities that are unique to them that the iPad Pro doesn't have... universally accessible file system, optional support for mouse/trackpad, near-full support for USB peripherals, full desktop version of the Chrome web browser.
Those things might not matter to some people, but for those for whom it does matter, they wouldn't know it from watching these reviews.
tech vloggers already have a chip on their shoulder about anything Chrome OS so I take their reviews with that in mind.
I'd like to see Robbie Payne from Chrome Unboxed do an in-depth review of the base model Slate. If he has a similar experience as Marques, then THAT is cause for concern, IMO.
There is nothing about the build quality of the Pixelbook that should prevent him (or any reviewer) from saying that it is equal to or superior to an Apple product... and yet, when they praise the PB, they fall just short of saying that.
Bezel size is one of those things that hardware manufacturers (in partnership with reviewers) hype up as a differentiator. They have to do something to convince people to replace their existing hardware with newer hardware so they point to anything that can help that. They use Bezel size as a criticism.
When comparing something like the Slate or Pixelbook to the iPad Pro, they completely ignore all of the capabilities that are unique to them that the iPad Pro doesn't have... universally accessible file system, optional support for mouse/trackpad, near-full support for USB peripherals, full desktop version of the Chrome web browser.
Those things might not matter to some people, but for those for whom it does matter, they wouldn't know it from watching these reviews.
tech vloggers already have a chip on their shoulder about anything Chrome OS so I take their reviews with that in mind.
I'd like to see Robbie Payne from Chrome Unboxed do an in-depth review of the base model Slate. If he has a similar experience as Marques, then THAT is cause for concern, IMO.
Nauga
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- Nov 9, 2017
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Speak of the devil, Robbie Payne has provided the clearest explanation of all the tablet-mode jank, especially the crazy amount of jank on the base model Slate.
https://chromeunboxed.com/news/chromebook-tablet-mode-lag-jank-fix/
TL; DR -- It's Google's own damn fault for rounding every stinking corner of the Chrome OS UI! Too many piddly drawing steps are clogging up the pipeline, especially for the Celeron-model Slate.
WillysJeepMan
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- Mar 21, 2011
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Looks like Linus Tech Tips just jumped on the Pixel Slate hate train. I guess the silver lining in this is that it just might result in killer deals on the Slate.. that will be even better than the $300 off sale on the Pixelbook.
I am not sure what all the hate is for. I have had my Slate since day 1 and I have had no issues with it. I do have the I5 version though because I wanted nothing to do with the Celeron!! Maybe I am just not using it the "right" way. I use it in both tablet mode and with the keyboard, I use it for word processing, I use the AutoCad app, and I use it for my school work. Of course Netflix, Amazon Video and Play Music and a few games may be thrown in from time to time!!!
I think some of these reviewers may be to extreme and for us "average" folks, the Slate is just fine. I am happy with it and do not regret my purchase!
I think some of these reviewers may be to extreme and for us "average" folks, the Slate is just fine. I am happy with it and do not regret my purchase!
alodar101
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- Aug 14, 2015
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I have the new iPad, the pixelbook and the slate. So compare side by side is something I have done. I also work in tech. My devices are a surfacebook, a surface pro 4, and a dell laptop. For hard core tech work.. The slate is not there. Neither is the iPad. But... My company recently had an outage and my work devices were down. I pulled out the slate and was able to accomplish about 85% of my job just fine. I would not hesitate to use it again.
I think some of these reviewers May be drinking their own Kool aid sometimes . it's all about using the right tool for the job... Choose wisely
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